Let's face it, dealing with SAG can be mind boggling for experienced producers, let alone newbies. So I wanted to post a few things about the dealings with SAG and what to expect. So I'm going to continue with this post as if you at least know the basics of SAG and doing your project union or nonunion.

There's a reason they tell you to file your paperwork THREE WEEKS in advance. There is absolutely no way you can film with union actors and that name actor you sooooo desperately wanted attached to your film without approval from SAG.

Because of the recent merger there's even more paperwork to fill out during the preliminaries (as you can see from the pic above) so get ready.

SAG has a lovely breakdown on their site of the different SAG agreements HERE I guarantee you, you will need to get very familiar with it.

Your budget will dictate whether you are SAG Low, SAG Modified or SAG Ultra Low. Once you find which one applies, START READING!But here's a preread for you that SAG sends over when you first apply: DOWNLOAD PDF DOCUMENT HERE

A few things to know:

MINORS

When working with Minors under 16, a Welfare Worker/Set Teacher is required at ALL times, regardless if they are in school or not. Most set teachers usually charge about 400-500/day. So if your lead is a kid, please make sure to budget in an extra 400/day every time that kid is on set. For example: if kid 1 is scheduled to work 15 days out of your 20 day shoot schedule, then budget $6000 more dollars for your Set Teacher.Also, if there is a large group of minors, then prepare to get TWO Welfare Workers/Set Teachers. They are only allowed to monitor no more than 5 children. So if there is 15 kids in a scene, yes, you need THREE TA's.If your minor is 16, then a Set Teacher is only required for tutoring during the school hours. So try to schedule that child after school or on the weekends or holidays. And really really important is the number of hours that you can have that child on set. Make sure your AD or 2nd AD factors in the THREE HOUR TUTORING TIME per SAG that the minor is REQUIRED to have. Now, there are some set teachers who will work for cash and their rates are negotiable (no less than $200)...but you didn't hear that from me!! LOL!

A good website to find Welfare Workers/Set Teachers is www.StudioTeachers.com

PAYROLLWhat you as the producer/production company employing performers are required to do is pay for pension and health. There's a few documents that you HAVE to fill out and return to SAG when doing your paperwork. It is a MUSTWhat a lot of filmmakers forget to budget for is that 16.8% of the total of ALL of the SAG actors employed.For example: out of your 400k budget, your actors line item in the budget may total about 60k. So your fringes is 16.8% of that, 10,080. PLUS the CA State Tax Burden Fee (yes there is such a thing) at 22%, totalling $13,200 AND add to those numbers the fee for payroll. So instead of that little 60k you were anticipating to pay your cast add that 10k +13K= $83,000 AND don't forget that 2k to the payroll company for their services = $85,000 TOTAL for your SAG actors, fringes, taxes & payroll.

Do yourself a favor and plan your payroll appropriately! They will cut the checks weekly and save you the headache. I can't stress enough to avoid the mistake that newbies do and try to do it themselves!

OVERTIME

The common misconception is to employ your actors for 12 hour days and anything over that is overtime. Errrrrr uhhhhhhh noooooo! LOL!

Actors are treated like regular employees, EIGHT HOUR DAYS and anything over is considered overtime and paid time and a half, by 1/6 increments (meaning every SIX MINUTES). Anything over 10 hours is paid double time. This does exclude lunch but that doesn't help you much when you and your AD have scheduled 12 hour days and your lead is needed for every single one of those 12. Either budget your OT accordingly or budget your stand-ins and get some rehearsals prior to filming! It will be quite shocking when you get the payroll invoice and see all the OT, especially if you didn't budget for it.... LONG STORY SHORTGo to the SAG website, get very familiar with the contracts. And then, after you've finished reading, go to a SAG workshop (most of them are free) and ask a ton of questions. VIEW SCHEDULE HERE

And then if you are like me, you will save their number in your phone and call your SAG rep frequently during principal photography to make sure you have crossed all of your t's and dotted all of your i's!

There's a movement going on indie black film. It's amazing, it's inspiring, it's humbling, it's terrifying! Our film, THE LAST FALL, as I type is ranked #5 in the whole entire country, per screen average. I'm overwhelmed, I'm UNDERwhelmed, I'm in and out of tears, I'm staring off into space in wonder, I'm on my knees in prayer.One screen with tons of support. No money, No marketing budget, just passion, word of mouth and social media.There's a movement going on...From the Ava Duvernay's, Matthew Cherry's, Corey Grant's, ND Brown's, Trey Haley's, Danielle Ross's, Russ Parr's, Lena Waithe's, Leila Djansi's, Dennis Dortch's, Inga Eiland's, Charles Murray's, Jackie Stone's, Numa Perrier's,...the list goes on and on. A movement of black filmmakers who did it their way...ARE doing it their way. It's amazing, it's inspiring, it's HUMBLING.A story, a vision, a passion, a film can change the game. A person, a tear, a cry, a sparkle in the eye, a determination, can change the game. A film, a director, a writer, a script, a DP...can change the game.A movement...can change the game.A movement of filmmakers who are tired of the studios, tired of the run around, tired of the disappointments, tired of the stereotypes, tired of waiting on Hollywood...CAN CHANGE THE GAME.

A black woman who wins for the first time at Sundance, best director...CAN CHANGE THE GAME. (Ava Duvernay)

A former athlete who wins for best Screenplay can CHANGE THE GAME. (Matthew Cherry)

A mother who runs a mini black studio hammering out the top web series (rated by Grio) CAN CHANGE THE GAME! (Numa Perrier)

A boy from the islands who becomes one of the top black cinematographers CAN CHANGE THE GAME! (Richard Vialet)

How can you not see it.There's a movement going on.Don't sit on the sidelines, don't watch it pass you by. Pick up your camera, pick up your laptop and start writing. How can you not be inspired to DO something. There's a movement going on in Black Hollywood! It's amazing, it's humbling, it's POWERFUL, it's BEAUTIFUL, it's INSPIRING, it's TIME!!!!

The question that filmmakers are always asking themselves as well as their colleagues...WHAT NEXT??While you are going to networking events, festivals, screenings, etc...you will notice the constant question: WHAT'S NEXT?People want to know what is next for you, which could possibly be what is next for them. And you should be wondering what is next for them which could possibly be what is next for you! See how this works?! LOL

The point to making a movie, no matter what role or crew position you are in, is to keep making them!So you always have to be on the look out, always networking, always plugging your projects. WHY? So you can keep working!!

I've had sooo many conversations with ppl and filmmakers that get CONSUMED with whatever project they are working on. When you ask them what else they are working on, they look at you like you are crazy. And the response is "I'm swamped with the project that I already have".

Learn how to multitask, learn how to juggle. It will really really help you in the long run.

The reality is that it takes time to put together a film project from inception all the way to distribution. So while you are in script phase on one, hopefully you are optioning another, post production on one, and moving into preproduction for another.

Gotta get a "hustle" mind set. Gotta set the goal for longevity and not be a one hit wonder!

SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR NIKKI??My film THREE TIMES A CHARM was airing over in England last week. Comes out on VOD September 19 and DVD release is set for October.

WHILE MAKING THE FESTIVAL RUN I've been putting together a slate of films. Have 7 feature film projects that I'm producing. From various stages of production. Treatment/Outlines, Scripts, Development/Packaging, etc... What I like about these, they are all different genres, different budgets and different teams.

However, I am dealing with the paperwork, budgets, business plans and so forth. Which is the tedious part. But it has to be tight for the investors.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST....

Me & hubby are taking us a vacation. I've busted my butt these past few months, so I deserve some quiet time, wrapped up in my man. We celebrated 10 years of marriage on August 10. Didn't really get to celebrate because of work and funerals. But on MONDAY, it's a whole different story. I'm pulling out my flip flops, bikini & sun glasses and hopping on this cruise to Mexico with the love of my life. No conference calls, film budgets, cast letters, rewrites. NADA! I deserve it.

And while out in the middle of the ocean sipping on Sangria I won't even bother to ask...WHAT NEXT!! I will save that for when I get back.

Today is my vegging out day. It's a beautiful rainy day here in LA and I'm actually taking some ME time! These past few weeks have been HECTIC!! LOL!Just returned from SXSW festival and gearing up for the Atlanta Film Festival (The Last Fall), LA Women's International Film Festival (Save Me) & Women's International Film & Arts Festival (Grace). At the same time, following up the with connections made at SXSW and dealing with distribution and selling The Last Fall.

So, let me back track. SXSW was amazing yet overwhelming!! That festival is huge and there's plenty to do, almost too much! LOL!

So I got into Houston Thursday evening, rented a car Friday morning and drove into Austin. Our premiere was Friday night. We had so much to do. Had to pick up badges, get our posters up, pass out postcards, press, etc...Barely had time to change clothes and throw some makeup on. Time to hit the red carpet. I kept asking Matthew if he was nervous, because he looked like it wasn't phasing him at all. Now me on the other hand, I was a borderline nervous wreck and I know I was probably getting on his nerves by asking him every 20 minutes.

THE PREMIEREWe arrive to the theater with barely enough time to set up our posters & swag. Didn't help that it was pouring down raining and we had to transfer everything from the trunk of the rental car to the theater all in my heels (whole other story! LOL). Matthew, Lance & Ellis got to do their interviews and hit the red carpet. The place was packed. There was three premiere screenings going on back to back, so the lobby was packed. Which for me, translates into GREAT NETWORKING! LOL!

So we did our pics on the red carpet and then hit the theater. Sold out! Wow! Matt introduced the film, great energy, audience was engaged, the Q&A went well. It was over before you knew it. Me & Monica had to run out about 10 minutes before the film ended so that we can get everything set up because we were passing out swag: The Last Fall Gatorade Towels & Posters.

Seems like a blur!

Afterwards was dinner and a networking party with the filmmakers of Fat Kids Rule the World. Didn't make it to the hotel until 2am. Crashed and then back at it the next day.However, I did have time to pop into the panel discussion with Joss Wheedon. GREAT INFO and more business cards collected! Immediately after was our 2nd screening. This screening was at a different theater, only 50 seats. Our publicists and our team invited a ton of bloggers, critics, sales reps, distributors, etc...We were sold out AGAIN and had to turn ppl away at the door. Good but bad. A few ppl tweeted about that. Oh well! We gotta get this film sold!A few of the cast and crew had to relinquish our seats to make room for some of the sales reps and critics. We have seen it already, so no biggie. But while out in the hallway, met some more ppl and collected MORE business cards...and took a few pics! LOL!!

So on that note I was dog tired and had to head back to Houston...in the rain...in the dark...*sigh*

But the drive gave me time to clear my head and think about all the ppl that I had met during the whirlwind of the past 2 days. Now is when the part time job goes to full time, which leads me to the title of this post! LOL

I'm a big proponent of networking and talk about it incessantly with my REEL Ladies group. You have to treat it like a part time job and dedicate some time & energy into it! And one of the key things when networking is putting in time for the FOLLOW UP!

So what if you met so & so at an event and get their card. It doesn't matter if you don't follow up and actually call that person. That card is worthless!

But if you actually take the time to email &/or call, now you have changed the connection from a piece of paper to a possibility. I had about 15 cards of ppl I definitely wanted to follow up with immediately, and I did just that the next morning. I sent brief individual emails after checking out their info and websites. Introducing myself further and ending with wanting to connect further.

In the meantime I had also sent out an email blast to some key contacts BEFORE leaving for SXSW telling them about my current projects and film progress. So I had to follow up with ppl who were emailing back about future projects, meeting up, etc...

I had also promoted the films in a few of my producer groups and of course those ppl were reaching out as well.

So not only connecting with new contacts, but re-connecting with old contacts as well during this time was key. AND IT WORKED! Because not only was I promoting The Last Fall and SXSW but the other projects and festivals that my films were in and the current projects I am developing.

I had so many meetings lined up for when I returned just looking at my calendar had my brain reeling. I had overbooked myself! This part time job is now turning into full time LOL! And the meetings this week went very well, with more lined up next week. I need to sit and dialogue with ppl, which always works in my favor! Last night's great Producers Networking event solidifies that and provided even MORE ppl I have to follow up with and make a deeper connection. More hours...

So today is my day off from this part time job and just taking time to enjoy who the Lord has brought into my world these past few weeks. Lounging on my couch grateful for the journey. Hard work, but I'm loving it. Back at it on Monday!

I will end with this quote that one of my mentors used frequently: "It's not just WHO you know, but who knows WHAT about YOU"!

So it's that time to hit the film festivals! I'm excited because so far the films that I have produced are now officially in SXSW (South by Southwest), Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival, New Voices of Black Cinema and San Diego Black Film Festival.

Here's some good pointers for you filmmmakers before I go even further:1. Make sure to pick GOOD festivals to submit to. Don't just submit to anything. You want to give your film a good platform to screen and/or premiere at. 2. Make sure before you start submitting to all of your target festivals that you have a budget for the bigger festivals.Double check your cast & crew deal memo's. Many times their contract will stipulate if you have to provide transportation, lodging and tickets for festivals and premieres.Why submit to Sundance or to Cannes if you don't have the budget to fly your cast/crew out? Part of the festival experience is the PR and it's not good PR if you are the only filmmaker there to represent your film! So make sure that when you are budgeting, you set aside some money JUST for festivals. Submissions, Transportation, PR, Swag, etc...

3. Be strategic! This is your film's premiere and the industry's first impression of you as a filmmaker. You HAVE to have a game plan. You can not go in to the festival arena blind and clueless!

I can go on and on but I digress! So let's talk about these film projects.*************************************************************

So with everything that is going on, I'm a busy BUT happy girl. Hard work pays off and this is EXTREMELY hard work people! But stay in the trenches. There is nothing like seeing your film project, your sweat, your frustrations, your patience, your love, your passion, your creativity...on the big screen!

How time flies. Are we already almost done with this year?? I've made it a point to relax through the Holiday Season. No filming! I've turned down two projects so I can spend time with hubby, family and just plain ole regrouping after these last few projects. We are also trying to get my father in law through chemotherapy, he has stage 3 prostrate cancer. So I definitely had to prioritize. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean I'm not still working! LOL! Just not working on set.

I am currently on numerous film projects right now and in development on at least FOUR! So that means tons of phone calls, option agreements, lawyers, meetings, rewrites, paperwork, budgets, LOI's and just HUSTLING! I have met some AMAZING ppl, producers and financiers these past few months. It still humbles me how quickly God answers prayers.

My prayer was that the Lord will help me to take my career to the next level and get on bigger budget projects. To remove the ppl in my life who meant me no good, who didn't have good intentions towards me and to replace them with ppl who do & will. And I mean, He did exactly that AND THEN SOME!

And to see how fast the Lord did it too, makes you even more aware of the fact that God not only hears, but He answers. And when you are assured that He listens, hears and answers....it just REALLY HUMBLES YOU! Because I know I'm not worthy of this great gift of having access to the Most High God. That I can come before the throne and He holds me in the palm of His hand.

I have had amazing support and encouragement from ppl who I have just met while unfortunately not the same from ppl who I thought I was pretty tight with. But that was the prayer right?? The signs were there all along which is why I lifted my voice up to the Father to ask to reveal the truth of ppl to me and HE did. So who do you get upset with? Them or myself? Myself obviously, I can't get mad when ungodly unsaved folks do exactly what they are supposed to be doing right? I've been holding that knowledge in front of me. All I can do is keep it moving and hopefully while I'm moving, I'm reflecting God's grace. No bitterness, no anger, no judgement, no negativity. JUST TRUTH AND MORE PRAYERS! Because it's only by the grace of God that I'm no longer in the world.

_So in moving forward and knowing that I'm stepping into a whole new arena all I can do is stay focused on God and continuously lifting my voice in prayer. Because HE ANSWERS!

The projects that are in Post are moving along quite nicely.

I just saw a rough cut of THE GRACES and ohhhh emmmmm geeeee (OMG) is all I can say! It looks AMAZING and I'm extremely excited with what Salli & Tommy did. WOW pretty much sums it up. So we've already started submitting to a few festivals. Crossed fingers.

THE LAST FALL is getting a lot of buzz and being approached by several distributors. Matthew has submitted to several festivals as well.

SAVE ME is looking pretty durn good too and we've submitted that to almost the same festivals. Lena found a great sound design guy and the music is FANTASTIC!

Most of the good festival deadlines have just approached or just passed so all of these projects we were racing to get them submitted.

I think that would be kinda cool if I had two or three projects in the same festival. Hmmmm....maybe I will pray about it! LOL!!Jokes aside, desires aside, my Lord and my God is with me on this roller coaster ride and there is TREMENDOUS comfort in that.

On the set of THE GRACES

I also find comfort while dealing with the shock that my friend, KIRK DWYER, suddenly passed. He was my go to sound guy and we had JUST worked together on THE GRACES. I had first hired him on for DYSFUNCTIONAL FRIENDS and have been working with him ever since. I went to his memorial last night and I was comforted by seeing such an outpouring of love from his family, friends and coworkers. I pray that the Lord comforts his children and his family. I pray that he turned to the Lord during his life. I pray that ME, I, will be a better steward of the gospel entrusted to me so that I won't wonder if a friend or family member who passes has ever even heard the good news of Christ.

I pray for my dear baby cousin 'RuRu' who is battling cancer and has a young son who is scared and confused. I pray constantly that she will continue to find peace and strength in the Lord to get her through whatever life throws her way.Prayers up for my father in law as we continue that journey, maybe the Lord will answer our prayers that he will answer the call to salvation and give his life to the Lord.

NOW THAT WILL BE AMAZING!!

"O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who delight to fear thy name; and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man Neh 1:11 (ASV)

GRACEIn the great proportion of passages in which the word grace is found in the New Testament, it signifies the unmerited operation of God in the heart of man, effected through the agency of the Holy Spirit. We have gradually come to speak of grace as an inherent quality in man, just as we talk of gifts; whereas it is in reality the communication of Divine goodness by the inworking of the Spirit, and through the medium of Him who is 'full of grace and truth.'" — Robert Girdlestone______________________________________________I want to take a moment and dwell on GRACE! I just recently produced a short film "The Graces", Salli Richardson-Whitfield's film directorial debut. Written by Ava Duvernay & Salli Richardson-Whitfield. Starring Dorian Missick and Arielle Kebbel. Cinematographer Tommy Maddox.LOGLINE: A distraught white woman tangles with a black male stranger in an isolated cabin, and nothing is what it seems. Salli Richardson-Whitfield examines existential loss and reconnection in her short narrative directorial debut, THE GRACES.

We wrapped Principal Photography this past weekend and I am sitting here thinking of HOW BLESSED I am. The Lord has blessed me with HIS GRACE. How amazing is that??! When you really sit and think and meditate and dwell on that, it overcomes you.

We had a great shoot, things went really well. A few kinks here and there but really minor. Salli was a great director to watch and a wonderful woman. The actors were phenomenal, inspires me to keep stepping my game up!

Got a chance to work with old friends who I've worked with several times since beginning this Hollywood journey. Makes me even MORE grateful of God's favor to actually be doing something that I LOVE and working on this project with people who I enjoy working with. No tension, no drama, just laughter and good times.

And again, you can't help but think of HOW does the Lord love me so much that he continually blesses me with His unmerited favor??? Things have been going so WELL! I stay prayerful that I continue to listen to His voice and follow humbly. The flesh is weak, even for us Christians! LOL! But we are called to DIE DAILY and not gratify the lusts of the flesh.

When I think about what the journey has been just THIS YEAR alone and when I think about these upcoming projects and how fast they are moving and who has the scripts and who we are negotiating with, and who I have had conference calls with, the people that He has put on my path, etc...There are no words. The dream, the prayers...and HE KEEPS ANSWERING!

As a follower of Christ we are called to "grow in the GRACE and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3).

This film project THE GRACES was exactly that. Grace & favor to me. What can you do but pour out your heart! What can you do BUT grow in that knowledge of what God's grace is. A wretched woman, sinful & selfish has been shown favor by the MOST HIGH GOD. How can you NOT seek & worship the Lord even more? Not because He is blessing me but because of His grace DESPITE what I do, what I don't do, despite my flaws, my doubts, my skills, my talent, my knowledge and lack of. Despite if I go days without reading the Word, despite what I DO and/or DONT DO.

A few days ago I went to grab my bag and was taken aback by how HEAVY it was! So I had to take a moment to sit down and see what was going on! LOL!

You know sometimes you get sooooo caught up in your projects and working you don't even realize HOW MUCH work it is!

I realized that I am in post-production on 4 films: Dysfunctional Friends, Three Times a Charm, Save Me and The Last Fall.Save me is a short and Lena has been doing great with the editing. We will be submitting it to a few festivals and trying to get it on BET's short film program. We both have had a short on there previously, so hopefully we can keep the track record going. We hired a PMD so that helps a LOT!

Three Times a Charm is like a week away from being completely finished. Had to go and update some info on IMDB and will be tweaking our poster to prep for approaching Distributors. We have a few in mind. Because this is a teen film and family oriented, the platform is a little bigger for distribution. We will be having the trailer and website launched soon.

The Last Fall's rough cut is almost done. We are hustling a little harder on this film to try to get this into Sundance, and the deadline is approaching FAST! We still have 2 days of pickups too, but they are quick and easy scenes. *crossed fingers*

I didn't mention Dysfunctional Friends for a reason, I'm not involved in the distribution phase of this film at all. I just wait and see when it's screening in LA!

I also realized that I am in Development on 3 feature films:Tears of a Clown, Road to Sturgis & "BB" (which is what I will be calling it for now)

I also was approached by a friend to help produce his project based off of a NY Times Bestseller book. He gave me the book and IT IS GOOD!!! Whoa is all I can say! So that's simmering on the back burner. I haven't told him yes or no yet BECAUSE of all of these other projects. But I'm pretty sure I'm going to say yes! :-)

And I'm also squeezing in this short, WEDNESDAY'S BLUES, in between. Which we will be fiming in 2 weeks.

In the midst of the producing madness, I still am running REEL Ladies and getting ready for my 5th semester at Los Angeles Bible Training School to start (next week as a matter of fact).

So when it hit me, how big my load was, I hit up my friend/mentor, Vince, to get some advice on my game plans for each of them. I have known Vince for the past 3 years, he's a big talent manager and manages some A-List talent and produces films as well. He's been a huge help to me and always gives me really great advice. Sometimes it's not what I want to hear, but *shrug*, it's always solid. He's got a great sense of business, which is why he's so big in the industry and has had such longevity. But because of the advice he gives me as far as business, I figured I needed his advice again in this situation.

Each film that I have in development is different...COMPLETELY. Completely different genres, budgets, potential cast (well 2 films will be similar in casting), investors, etc...Which means that I have to have a different approach for each one.

So as we are talking and he's giving me some names and pointers and advice he say's "Just make sure not spread yourself too thin". And then 20 minutes later after talking about his own projects, with a grin he has his assistant print up a script for me for a low budget indie he's about to start working on. Of course I take the script, of course I read it ASAP and of COURSE it's good and different and quirky and OF COURSE I want to be a part of it! LOL!

Ahhhhh the load gets heavier! However, I had to make the decision that after this one, I need to start saying NO! I won't be able to do my best work if like Vince said that I'm spread too thin. HUSTLE NOW PLAY LATERis my mindset. I need to bust my butt now and later I will scale back!

So I'm prepping for my short film "Wednesday's Blues". LOGLINE: Wednesday is having a horrible day! Faced with eviction from a perverted slumlord and the realization that she is struggling to provide for her children, she is forced to make some life changing decisions.

I remember hearing the Janis Joplin song (see below) and thinking that the song would be great in an intense scene for a film. I kept picturing a woman breaking down. Then, what would make a woman fall to her knees - the answer always comes back to her family. I picked up my laptop and started writing and this story poured out of me that morning.

I teamed up with April Mabry, Huma Entertainment, who worked on THE LAST FALL with me. She's a REEL Ladies member and she was pretty darn good on the set of THE LAST FALL. So she's been helping to produce it with me.

We've been getting the last of our crew together and prepping for our auditions we are holding on Monday.

Acting wise, this is perfect for me. Can't wait to sink my teeth into it. And the more and more I thought about the concept of the film, I was thinking more like a director of certain shots and doing this hand held, real gritty. Well of course that progressed to me making the decision that I can direct it too! I've directed tons of plays from back in college and did a few things here and there and recently directed a music video. WHY NOT??

Well....errr...uhhhh I started really diving into the script and looking at it from the actress point of view. The role of WEDNESDAY is pretty intense. This woman goes through some things and has a pivotal moment in the script. Do I want to go back and forth and break character to be in director mode??

This is where I need my good friend, Courtney Franklin, to give me some honesty and a fresh perspective. She's my sounding board and we've worked together a few times. So had to send her the script and get her feedback first and foremost. I also wanted to see what her availability was like to help me on this as well.

She called me the following day. I told her did she think it was possible or would it be too difficult after reading the script to act AND direct this piece. She gave me some good pointers to think about either/or and we came up with the solution to co-direct it, which I think is an excellent idea.

I want the whole tone, feel, shots, angles, performances to capture the mood of this song. It's so powerful and plays during an important scene in the film. April gave me some good notes to really tighten up the script (only 10 pages).

So we are scheduled for principal photography the beginning of September. I'm really excited about this one.

Today I am sitting in the waiting room at the hospital while my father-in-law has surgery. They said the surgery is going slower than usual because of immflamation. He is having the "Whipple" Procedure done. They are removing part of his pancreas, the gall bladder and some of his intestine.So we wait. I have been up since 3am and been here at the hospital since 4:30am waiting. Waiting for doctors to tell me my husband's father is okay and in the clear. Waiting...

And speaking of waiting...LOL...that leads me to this blog post. The Waiting Game.

I had a great meeting with writer/producer KH (that's all I will post for now) last night on my latest project. We went over the producer agreement, the budget, cast and the vision for the film.

The good thing with this project is that there are two possible finance options and BOTH are really good. The script has really good buzz behind it and a lot of ppl are asking about it already. The investors know they have something good on their hands.

Investor #1 - 15-20M. Comes with distribution. HOWEVER, their money is contingent on if we can get "A-list" actors attached. Here is the drawback to that bit of stipulation - we are dealing with older white men. This is an all black cast. The problem??- Their idea of "A List" is very small: Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Queen Latifah, Jamie Foxx and Will Smith. These were the names they told us. Let's dig deeper into this problem shall we? This is an all black cast of mostly women...in their 30's. So when we were thinking Kerry Washington, Joy Bryant, Paula Patton, etc...it hasn't even crossed their minds and unfortunately isn't really good enough for them. Considering there is only ONE black a-list actress on their list, doesn't help us any. It actually hinders us a bit. BUT, it's 15-20M w/distribution in place so *shrug*, let's see how we can compromise. We sent over our concerns last night. So we wait and see what their solution is. We may just have to do their A-List as a cameo or write a role into the script.

Investor #2 - 5M-10M. Does NOT come with distribution. HOWEVER their money is NOT contingent on "A-List" actors. Which is good for us because we can get some really strong good actors & actresses on this thing. Especially since the money is there. Most black actors just want to work and this is a REALLY strong project and will get some good names on it. And once we get the names we are targeting, then we are pretty confident we can get distribution.

So we are finishing up our pkg which is pretty much showing them what we can do with the team we have in mind and the talent we have in mind. With me coming off Dysunctional Friends and The Last Fall with the names we had on those projects, they can see what I did with low budgets.

KH is revamping the website a little. We will be reaching out to a few Casting Directors soon, two of the ones they were looking at, I already have relationships with, so that will help.

So we wait for all the little pieces of the puzzle to come together so this money can be dropped in the bank and I can hit the ground running. The development phase is sooooo tedious to me!

MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH - JNL MEDIA I have to do my character breakdowns for Wednesday's Blues so we can start holding auditions. Looking to shoot this soon.

I have to follow up with my Chicago ppl and the Postpartum Groups for Tears of a Clown. With the recent press from The Last Fall and some of the dailies we have I will be putting together a sizzle reel to wheel interested investors in.

So even though there's a lot of activity going on, I still will be playing the waiting game. Waiting for the money people to SHOW ME THE MONEY! LOL!

And while I sit here and wait in the hospital room for my father in law to go into the recovery room, while I wait and hope for the best outcome, while we jump through hoops waiting for investors, while I wait for the rough cut of The Last Fall and wait for the final cut of Save Me, I will keep praying and thanking God that at least I'm waiting with Him by my side...and that's all I need to know. He has ordained my steps and whatever comes next, I will rest in the Lord.